


Forever

by Gozzer



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Character Death, Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Crushes, F/F, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Minor Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Multi, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23827666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gozzer/pseuds/Gozzer
Summary: Where Stephen snaps his fingers instead of Tony.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Stephen Strange & Wong, Tony Stark & Stephen Strange, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 13
Kudos: 105





	Forever

This was the only way. Tony Stark had to be the one to use the Stones to wipe out Thanos and his army. The man deserved the chance to make it right. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself this was how it was supposed to go, Stephen couldn't bring himself to let it happen. This was his mess to fix. 

The wall put up against the flood gave him enough time to pull the Infinity Stones and make-shift gauntlet to him. At the edge of the battle overshadowed by a crashing wave of water Stephen took the force of the universe. If the fighting stopped he didn't notice. The pain was immense but pain was a close friend of his. It brought him to his knees even as the Cloak tried to hold him up. Fire burned through his fried nerves and scorched his skin. Color lit up his veins. 

He opened his eyes to face the battle field once more. The immediate fighting had come to a stop to watch him. Thanos was ready to make his way over but Stark was holding him off. It was now or never. Stephen knew exactly what to think and what the Stones would accept. The shaky snap of his fingers forced energy coursing through his body that he couldn't hope to survive. He let his hand fall to his lap and his body to drop against the rubble. Cloak wiggled out from under him and floated before him. 

The red fabric started patting at his face and body as if to find the problem. When he didn't move it tried pulling him up. Tears gathered in Stephen's eyes as he watched with the last of his life as his most faithful companion tried so hard to keep him alive. There was nothing to be done. 

Cloak knew the moment the life had left its master. The glow it had been watching disappeared from Stephen's body into the air. There was no longer a soul within the broken body. It curled protectively around Stephen as if to shield others from coming closer. He was gone far too soon. They had only had two years together. 

Tony stumbled his way towards the collapsed body of Strange. He could hear others behind him moving with the end of the battle. But his focus was on the swath of red fabric curled so close around a body it was almost impossible to tell them apart. Empty blue eyes watched nothing. Dark hair was pushed back by sweat and water spray. Burns ran along the right side of angular cheeks. Strange was most certainly dead. There was no movement from his chest when Tony kneeled before him. 

The red refused to move. Not even a flicker of a corner to show it knew he was there. It was so clear it was taken over by grief. He moved a bare hand out to close Strange's eyes when a few questions started being asked. Peter's youthful voice calling out to him and then for Strange once he saw his body. Pepper's gentle call for him, already knowing what had happened. Even the voice of Wong. Asking about the Cloak of Levitation when he knew that Strange was gone. 

"You bastard." Tony smoothed out the messy curls with a trembling hand. He had never got the chance to get to know the man properly, or even admit that he was in love. Over the five years he had researched the doctor and found out everything he could about the handsome asshole. There was hardly a doubt that he would have fallen in love. The man was like a planet in orbit that drew in everything around it. Tony had been pulled in by the gravity within the first few minutes of meeting him. And had never managed to get out. "You fucking asshole, Stephen." 

"Mr. Stark? What happened?" Peter's voice had him closing his eyes and sighing. "Doctor Strange?" The crunch of footsteps grew closer. Then a gasp of shock and probably sadness. "No, Mr. Stark, what happened to him?" 

"He saved us, kid." The teenager stopped just next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Tony dropped his head to stare at the still fabric. He couldn't face the kid yet. 

"Tony?" Pepper was quick to take Peter's place at his side. She had been so supportive of his love for Strange and had even admitted that she would've loved to get to know him. There was never going to be any of that. A gentle hand squeezed his shoulder and pulled back slightly. He followed without resistance. "We'll take care of him, I promise." Whether that was meant for him or someone else, he didn't know. 

"Strange. He is gone then?" A distinct voice came from his other side. He opened his eyes to see Wong crouching down beside him. "You need to let him go, Cloak. You are not helping." The red blanket seemed to bristle with anger. A corner lifted to snap out at them. Wong merely waited for it to settle down before holding out a hand to it. "He is gone, let him go. I know you're grieving, but please."

The Cloak shuddered and rippled as if crying. It curled tighter for a moment before unwrapping Strange gently. Slowly but surely the Cloak let go of the man. It pooled in his lap before shooting up to wrap around Tony. He accepted the fabric with only a hand to pet it softly. The clear sadness within it was so heartbreaking. Strange was its master and, if possibly, friend but now he was gone. Leaving it without someone again. 

"He wanted to be cremated when he died," Wong said. Tony glanced at him to find a frown on his face. "Then put to rest next to his sister and brother in Nebraska. I hope you can do that for him, Stark."

"I'll make sure of it." There was nothing he wouldn't do for Strange. The man deserved the world. Tony finally got to his feet and bent down to pick up his body. He wouldn't allow anyone else to carry him. 

A week later and Tony was in a small Nebraska cemetery with Pepper, Peter, and Wong. There had been a small funeral at their cabin for Strange but now they were where he wished to be. The gravestones of Donna and Victor Strange stood before them. It was only fitting that the siblings be laid to rest together. Cloak slipped off his shoulders to set the detailed urn between the stones. Carved with protection runes and Agamotto's symbol so it could never be removed from its resting place; so Stephen Strange could be forever with his younger siblings. 


End file.
